Bailiff Interferes in Separation of Powers Debate

Issue 3 Reform Jersey party newsletter September 2017 Bailiff interferes in Separation of Powers debate By Deputy Sam Mézec _ Recommendation 7 of the report reaching a conclusion “without taking [email protected] suggested that issues surrounding the appropriate evidence” which “removes lack of a Separation of Powers in Jersey its credibility in respect of its conclu- Jersey’s unelected Bailiff, William must be addressed if Islanders are to sion”, despite two reports into Jersey’s Bailhache, has made an unprecedented have confidence that their institutions constitution (the Clothier and Carswell political intervention in the debate on are fit for purpose to safeguard the in- reports) already examining the issue of the Separation of Powers. terests of vulnerable people in the care the dual role of the Bailiff in detail and The States Assembly Privileges and of the state. concluding that it breached the demo- Procedures Committee has published a In his letter, the Bailiff (who has a cratic principle of the Separation of Pow- letter sent by the Bailiff to the Chief Min- history of using the phrase “the Jersey ers . ister and Council of Ministers, in which Way”, a phrase which was criticised in The four-page letter mounted a bi- the Bailiff seeks assurances from the the inquiry report) accuses the recom- zarre defence of the dual role of the Chief Minister that he will not make his mendations on the Separation of Powers Bailiff, suggesting that the current sys- argument for ending the dual role of the made by the Independent Jersey Care tem in Jersey was more democratically Bailiff on the basis of Recommendation Inquiry of being “both illogical and un- acceptable than the system which the 7 of the Independent Jersey Care Inquiry necessary”. UK used to have, but abolished a decade report. Bailhache accused the Inquiry of ago. Continued on page 2... Inside Stories Jersey workers’ How Parish reform Southern - “Extend Reform Jersey’s wages stagnate over could improve life in living wage to States- Policies + Join the last decade St Helier owned companies” party facebook.com/ReformJersey twitter.com/ReformJersey Published by - Printed by - 2 September 2017 Bailhache interferes in Separation of Powers debate Continued from the front page elected members to attempt to fulfil the and supports the implementation of its The Bailiff also defended the system commitments they made to their elec- recommendations, including splitting the as being consistent with principles ar- torate. dual role of the Bailiff. gued by revered constitutional lawer A. In particular, the final paragraph of This intervention from the Bailiff, V. Dicey, despite Dicey having died al- Bailhache’s letter to the Chief Minister urging the Chief Minister to disregard most a century ago and having argued reads “However, in the forthcoming de- the findings of an Inquiry he has already robustly in the 19th century against bate, I should be grateful for your assur- committed to support, has been argued democratic principles such as women’s ance that you will not take the line that by several political commenters to epito- suffrage and Home Rule for Ireland. the Care Enquiry's Recommendation 7 is mise the ‘Jersey Way’, where individuals William Bailhache has faced criti- a reason for supporting the proposition in power are seen to deliberately per- cism for breaching the well established of Deputy Tadier, or indeed for re- petuate their own self-interest, at the principle that Speakers of Parliaments visiting the issue of the Bailiff's role gen- expense of ordinary Islanders. do not attempt to meddle in govern- erally “. The States will debate Deputy ment business, and instead provide a The Chief Minister, to his credit, has Tadier’s proposition on ending the dual scrupulously impartial and non-partisan been clear since the publication of the role of the Bailiff at its sitting on 12th chairmanship of Parliament, to enable ICJI report that he accepts its findings September. Jersey workers no better off than a decade ago Figures released by the States of Jersey Reform Jersey party chairman Depu- There is no silver bullet to this, but Statistics Unit have shown that Islanders ty Sam Mézec claimed that the figures the government clearly has no strategy are on average virtually no better off painted a bleak picture, especially for to deal with it, and some members are than they were a decade ago. young people who increasingly feel like even in outright denial that it is happen- In their annual Index of Average homeownership is not an option. ing at all. Earnings report, the Stats Unit has calcu- “Under the current government's Reform Jersey would increase the lated that, in real terms, Islanders earn- policies, Jersey is becoming a society of minimum wage to help those on low ings have only increased by 0.1% since haves and have-nots. With support being wages, increase spending in Education 2007. cut from the vulnerable, stagnating wag- to give young people the training they In the same ten years that earnings es, house prices through the roof and need for the jobs of tomorrow have increased by only 0.1%, the aver- less stability in work for many, a lot of and provide real support, not just words, age price of a three-bedroom house has people in Jersey just feel like nothing is to help businesses in our emerging in- increased by £100,000. being done to make their lives easier. dustries.” Published by Reform Jersey Kindly printed by Unite the Union 3 September 2017 Democratic reform needed to transform St Helier Is St Helier meeting its potential as the Weighbridge to be turned into housing. of St Helier are invited to elect a “Roads capital of our Island? Is it the vibrant Who is taking leadership and gov- Committee” to advise the Constable and cultural and hospitality centre that erning St Helier with a coherent plan to make decisions on the maintenance of should inspire tourists to flock to it? Is it make it a vibrant and exciting place, Parish roads, applications for al fresco as easy as it should be to do business in which responds to businesses and resi- licences, parking and comment on plan- town? dents needs effectively? ning applications. This is the closest For those of us who have lived and With a population of 33,000 and the thing the town has to a ‘municipal coun- worked outside of Jersey, it is clear that vast majority of Jersey businesses based cil’. Turn out at the last election was St Helier has so much going for it. It is in St Helier, in many ways our capital 0.26%! This system was created 200 peaceful and safe, but also has many of resembles a small city, yet has virtually years ago, has not really been fit for pur- the amenities to make it an enjoyable no autonomy over local decision- pose for 150 years, and nobody engages place to be. making, compared to comparable local with it. But, let’s be honest, we all know it authorities in the UK or other parts of If you go around towns, not just in has problems. It has a lot of very ugly Europe. the UK but across Europe, local democ- buildings, there is a lack of green space In reality, the Constable of St Helier racy is often thriving and they see great in densely populated areas and we often has little real power when it comes to results with big local schemes giving lack that “buzz” in the streets which can the provision of public services or licenc- those towns the ability to attract people be felt in many towns across Europe es in St Helier. Most real power, in terms to visit. during the summer. of infrastructure and overall policy, is Reform Jersey policy is to enact the When a tourist stops you in the retained by the Chief Minister from St reforms first proposed by the Chamber street and asks “where do we go to find Ouen, the unelected Planning Minister of Commerce at the beginning of the the restaurants?” how do you answer? from St Martin and the unelected Infra- 20th Century and establish an elected There is not really a clear district where structure Minister from St Lawrence. “Conseil Municipal de St Helier”, to have all the food and entertainment is based. Even though the “mayor” is real powers over town-planning and Things are scattered around incoherent- meant to face direct elections, these are infrastructure, entertainment and sup- ly. We have a perfect alfresco area by usually uncontested. So the incumbent port for business initiatives. the Cenotaph, with a bookies occupying mayor has no real mandate for his poli- With this system, St Helier could be space that should be a restaurant or bar. cies. an even better place to live, work and We have nightclubs closing by the Once every three years, Parishioners visit. Published by Reform Jersey Kindly printed by Unite the Union 4 September 2017 Extend the ‘Living Wage’ to States-owned companies Reform Jersey’s vice-chairman Deputy their wage rates in line with increases in Man. Geoff Southern has lodged a proposition the Living Wage rate as it goes up every Reform Jersey are pledged to bring in the States Assembly to force the gov- year. If an accredited organisation does forward proposals later this year to ask ernment to extend the principle of the not realign their wages within 6 months the States to uprate the Island’s Mini- ‘Living Wage’ to States-owned compa- of the rate increasing, then they risk mum Wage rate to catch up with the UK nies and States contractors.

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